Yarn-clearer.



' G. W. FOSTER.

YARN GLEARER. v A APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1912. 1,101,423. w Patented June 23, 191i 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wmvsssas WITNESSES wazx.

Patented Jun 23, 1914.

2 SHEBTSSHEBT 2.

. nru'rnn STATES 5 GEORGE W. FOSTER, 0F WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

rATENT' OFFICE.

YARN-CLEARER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paijenfied June 23, 1914. Application filed November 21, 1912. Serial No. 7321652.

T 0 all whom it may concern Beit known that I, GEORGE W. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVe'stfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yarn- Clearers,'of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to yarn-clearers, slub detectors or the like, and consists of an improved device for cleaning specks, motes or other foreign matter from yarn or thread and for detecting slubs, bunches, knots or enlargements in the same and breaking them out.

My invention belongs to that class of de- 7 vices in which the yarn is drawn through slots or across the edges of blades or plates and its object is to provide a more effective arrangement of the slots to insure complete contact of the yarn with the blades on' all of its sides so that it will be thoroughly cleaned and the passage ofjall slubs or other enlargements will be obstructed.

My invention also embraces an improved adjusting device which provides for quick and accurate setting of the blades for different sizes of yarn.

The inventionis fully explained in the following specification, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of my new device showing the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2, an end view of the same; Fig. 3, a plan view of another arrangement. of the device with the yarnguiding rods removed to illustrate the relation of the blades and slots; Fig. 4, an end view ofthe same Fig. 5, a perspective view of one of the blade-members;-Fig. 6, aplan view of the blank from which said niember is formed; Fig. 7', adetail view of the yarnguiding rod.

My invention consists essentially of two members supported in adjustable relation machine to which the device. is applied.

to Fig. 6, which illustrates the butterfly blank from which the members are formed, this consists of the body portion (Z having two Wings 0? and d? extending laterally therefrom. The wing 03 is formed with an edge oZ extending at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the edge of the body portion 01 and terminating in a point d where this edge joins the end of the straight edge (Z The wing 03 extends in the straight edge Z to a point (1 equidistant from the center of the bodyportion '03 with the point (i From this point the. edge 03 extends rearwardly at an acute angle to the edge 03 and at d rounds into the edge d which lies parallel to the outer edge d of the wing d, joining the body portion at at d. To facilitate bending the stock the metal is cut out in joins the body portion d at right-angles to the latters edge. In forming the blademembers the Wings 03 and d are folded or bent upward from. the body portion on the lines on, m, Fig. 6, and when completed extend perpendicularly thereto, as shown in Fig. 5. The member D corresponds exactly to the member D in shape and form, except that in thepreferred arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the body portion 03 continues rearwardly a slight distance farther from the .wings and is bent down in a right-angled, tail-piece d. This extension al is illustrated by the dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6 and is designed to cooperate withthe adjust ing means to be later described. Both membersD and D are provided with slots at", 0P extending longitudinally of their body portions, and adapted to receive the screws which secure them in place on the bracket B. Thetwo members D, D are assembled on the bracket B by reversing their positions and placing the body portion of the member D on top of that of the member D so that it slides in between the wings or side blades d, d of the latter. The side blades of the two members will thus be in alinement and their angular -edges, being made to conform a small-circle at 03 and at d the edge d one to another, will lie in parallel planes. That is to say, the edge (i of the member D will lie parallel and be adapted .to contact with the adjacent edge (1 of the member D and the edge (1 of the member D will be in similar juxtaposition to the edge d of the member D, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. It will also be noted that the arrangement of the contiguous edges on the opposite side blades is such that they cross eachother at approximately right-angles, this being an important feature of the invention. By sliding one of the members longitudinally in relation to the other the adjacent edges of the blades may be brought together or separated to regulate the distance between them and thus adjust the width of the slots for different sizes of yarn. To provide for very accurate, minute adjustment I prefer to employ the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, which is similar to-that of a microme ter caliper. The two members D and D- are held in placeon the bracket B by the two screws E, E extending through the slots (Z (Z and the lower member D is secured I fixedly in place by means of two dowel-pins e, e driven throughthe holes (1 d By loosening the screws E, E the upper member D can he slid longitudinally of the slot 6, and to adjust this member I prefer to employ the means now described: Screwed in to the end of the bracket B is a screw F having a thread of relatively fine pitch or lead and a knurled head 1 formed with a circumferential groove f. The tail-piece (Z of the slidin' member D reaches in to adapt its end to engage the groove f and by turning the screw this member can be adjusted in relation to the member D to vary the width of the slots J, d between the edges ofthe side blades or wings d, d and (Z '(Z The end of the screw head f is preferably marked with graduations, as illustrated in Fig. 2, which are adapted to register with a pointer g, the latter forming part of a sheet-metal piece G secured to the extension d by the screw g. The graduations on the screw head 1 may be numbered in sequence or marked to correspond to different sizes of yarn for which the various adjustments are adapted. On either side of the members D and D are provided guiding rods H, H which serve to direct-the yarn y in its proper course through the slots (Z d, that is, to the point d" where the twoslots cros's. These rods are preferably constructed of porcelain, glass or other vitreous material, and are provided with V-shaped grooves h at'their center's, forming troughs in which the yarn is centered. The rods H, H are preferably held in the slots b 12 on the bracket B by means of sheet-metal clamps J, J bent around their ends and secured to the bracket B by the screws j, j. When the grooves in the slots become worn or scored manufacture.

from the abrasion of the thread or yarn therods can be turned on their axes by loosening the clamps to present a new bearing surface for the yarn.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the micrometer adjustment is dispensed with, making the device more simple and easier to manufacture, but practically as efiicient for ordinary use. As here shown, the members D and D are not mounted in a slot in the bracket B, but are simply secured to the face 6 this construction being somewhat cheaper to The member D is secured from movement by the dowel-pins 6f, 6-, and the member D can be adjusted by loosening the screws E, E, and sliding it by hand. In adjusting the blade-members with this arrangement it is necessary to make use of .a gage which is inserted between the edges of the blades to insure setting them at the proper distance-apartaccording to the size of yarn for which the device is to be used. Where ordinary' or coarse yarn is being cleaned the above arrangement is usually satisfactory, but for very fine and even' of the slots the screws E, E are tightened again to lock them in position. The yarn y is then drawn up across the lower rod H,

through the V-shaped trough formed by the divergent edges (2 and d of the members -D and D, and thence to the reeling or Winding devices. As the yarn is taken up by the machine to which it is being supplied the tension or draft of 'the winding operation will cause it to straighten out in its course and work; down over the rounded points 01*, d until it seats in the groove h of the upper rod H. The two rods H, H

are arranged with the bottom of their grooves in line with the crossing point d" of the slots (Z and d and hence the yarn will be directed and maintained in a straight course passing through the slots at this point. It will also be observed that as the rounded points of the two blades d (1 overlap eachother they will act as a guard to prevent the yarn from whipping out of the slots as it balloons out from the supply cop during its uncoiling. Now, as the yarn draws through the two slots d al it will make a contact'with the edges of the blades the first set of blades is to either flatten it out or obstruct its passage through the first slot (1", but should it be flattened suflici'ently to pass through the first slot, it will be engaged by the second set of blades at rightangles to the flattened portion so that it becomes practically impossible for the enlargement to pass through both slots. That is to say, if the contact with the edges of the first set of blades only serves to flatten the yarn in the direction of the slot, the engagement with the second set being across this flattened portion is sure to obstruct its passage and if the slub is not cleared from the yarn then' the latter will be held and broken, which is the result desired. In this way undue enlargements or imperfect places in the yarn are detected and may be broken out to the end that its quality will be improved and its value thereby enhanced. The yarn is thus thoroughly cleaned on all sides bycontact with the angularly disposed edges of the two sets of blades, which also operate at what might be termed cross purposes to detect and break out any enlargements, slubs, bunches or knots.

'From'the above it will be seen that my improved device provides for a more thorough cleani g of the yarn than can be efiected by a sing e slotted member and the novel crossslot arrangement makes it practically impossible for a slub or knot to pass through the blades without detection. Furthermore, the blades may be adjusted with great accuracy and precision without the use of gages and without depending on the skill or udgment of the operator. The improved means for adjustment also provides against carelessness or negligence on the part of the operator, and the device when once set is locked against accidental displacement of the parts. My new device also provides for quick and easy threading, it being only necessary to draw the yarn across the guiding edges d, d of the blades and the tension onthe yarn thereafter automatically draws it into the slots. It is also called to attention that the design of the two blademembers is particularly ingenious as providing that both may be punched out or struck-up from the same blank. This feature greatly cheapens the cost of manufacturing and also insures thatwhen the members are assembled in reverse relation the contiguous edges of the yarn slots will lie in exact parallelism and be in proper alinement.

Various modifications might be madeinthe form and structure of the parts of my.

new device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Therefore, without limiting myself to the exact arrangement shown, what I claim is l.' In a yarn-clearer, the combination of two members having pairs of spaced-apart blades with angularly disposed edges, the edges of one pair of blades adapted to cooperate with those of the other to form slots crossing each other at approximately right-angles, and arranged with the yarn drawing through the slots at their crossing points.

2. In a yarn-clearer, the combination of two members adjustable in relation to each other-and each formed with a'pair of separated blades having' angularly disposed edges adapted to codperate with corresponding edges of-the other to provide slots extending across each other, and arranged with the yarn drawing through the slots at the crossing point.

3. In a yarn-clearer, the combination of spaced-apart blade-members arranged with their edges contiguous to form two slotscrossing each other at substantially right-. angles in different planes, and means to ad: just said members in relation to each other to correspondingly regulate the width of both of the slots.

4. In a yarn-clearer, the combination of two members, each formed'with a body portion having blades extending perpendicularly therefrom in different planes with the edges of the blades disposed at opposite angles to adapt those of one set of blades to lie contiguous to those of the other to form two crossing slots when the members are placed in reverse relation to each other.

5. In a yarn-clearer, the combination of two folded sheet-metal members having body portions with blades bent up from the sides thereof at right-angles thereto, and formed with edges disposed at opposite angles to adapt the edges ofthe blades of one member to cooperate with those of the other to form two slots crossing each other at substantially right-angles in dilferent planes.

6. In a yarn-clearer, the combination of two members having blades formed with angularly disposed edges'and arranged with the edges of the blades of one member contiguous to the opposite edges of the blades of the other member to provide slots crossing each other at substantially right-angles,

and means to guide the yarn through the I for the yarn to direct it to the'crossing sis point, and means to adjust said members to regulate the width of both of the slots each in conformity with the other.

8. In a yarn-clearer, the combination with two members, each formed with a pair of blades having angularly disposed edges, said members arranged with the edges of the blades cooperating to provide slots crossing each other at substantially right-angles and one blade on each member having a rounded point overlapping the corresponding point on the opposite blade of the other member in different planes to act as 'a guard to retain theyarn in position at the crossing point of the slots.

9. In a yarn-clearer, the combination with a bracket, of two blade-members mounted on said bracket with one member fixed and the other adapted to slide in relation thereto, the edges of the blades of said members being arranged to form crossing slots through which the yarn draws, and means to adjust the sliding member in relation to the fixed member to simultaneously regulate the width of both of the slots.

10. In a yarn-clearer, the combination with a bracket, of two blade-members mounted thereon and arranged with the edges of the blades cooperating to provide slots crossing each other in different planes at substantially right-angles, and a screw engaging one of the members to adjustit in relation to the other member, to simultane' ously regulate the width of both of the slots.

11. In a' yarn-clearer, the combination with a bracket, of two members mounted thereon and provided with cooperating blades having their edges forming slots crossin each other at substantially rightangles 1n diiferent planes, a screw engaging one of the members to adjust it in relation to the other member to simultaneously regu late the'width of both slots, said screw provided with graduations, and an index pointer adapted to register with the graduations on the screw to indicate the adjustment made thereby.

12. In a yarn-clearer, the combination with a bracket, of two blade-members, one fixed and the other slidable on the bracket,

said members provided with cooperating slots when the screw is turned.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

- GEORGE wgrosrEa;

\Vitnesses:

JAMES D. CLARK, ROBERT J TUBBS. 

